Rail joint



June 24,- 1930. w. H. SMITH RAIL, JOINT Filed June 24, 1929 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. SMITH, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA RAIL JOINT Application. filed June 24,

This invention relates to railroad rail joint construction, particularly the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,731,596 of October 15th,'1929.

The present invention has for its primary object the provision of an absolute feather edge connection between abutting rail ends, at spaced points on opposite sides of the rail joint, whereby there is no break in the continuity of the tread surface on the rail heads.

Other objects willbe apparent from the description to those skilled in the art. As shown in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint as constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figures 3 and 4: are sections respectiy ely on the lines 33 and 44 of Figure 2.

In the practice of the present invention, rails, indicated generally as and 11, instead of terminating in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail as in present conventional construction, have their opposite ends formed in long diagonal parallels so that when abutting rail sections are joined the diagonal line of demarcation 12 of the joint will extend for a relatively considerable distance. By this arrangement there is no directly transverse break at any point on the tread surfaces 13 and 14 of the balled heads 15 and 16 respectively of the rails 10 and 11.

The essential feature of the invention resides in the fact that each of the rail ends is tapered to a fine feather edge. The effect of this construction is demonstrated in Figure 1 wherein it is shown that the tip or extreme pointed end 17 of the rail 10 is disposed vertically on the side of the rail heads and not on any portion of the tread surfaces. At the opposite side of the joint the same is true of the tip 18 of rail section 11.

In order to prevent longitudinal creeping of the ends at the joint, in addition to securing the rail ends agalnst transverse move m-ent, the rail section 10 has its web 19 provided adjacent its outer end with a lateral lug portion 20 which extends vertically between the head 15 and the base flange 21.

1929. Serial No. 373,239.

This lug 20 may be made integral with the rail web, or be separately applied and welded thereto, the rail at this point being formed to receive the usual anchor bolts 22 which clamp the fish plates 23 against the rail at opposite sides.

The rail section 11 has its web 24 likewise provided with a lateral lug 25 similar to the lug 20 of rail section 10. ()n both rail sections the lug portions are located within the bases of the respective right angled triangles formed by the rail ends, wherein the diagonal faces form the respective hypothenuses.

Each fish plate 23 abuts and underlies the adjacent rail head and is formed with a foot flange portion 26 which is down-turned at the edge of the adjacent rail section foot flange, whereby to engage over and completely cover the joint between the respective rail sections, beneath the rail heads.

The length of the fish plates is such that they extend slightly beyond each end of the joint at each side of the rail sections, and adjacent the respective lug portions 20 and 25 these plates are formed with outstanding oflsets 27 shaped to conform to and receive the lugs, whereby when the flsh plates are secured by the bolts 22, the engagement of the lug portions in the sockets 27 prevents relative longitudinal movement between the rail ends.

While in this embodiment of the principles of the invention I have illustrated and described certain structural details, I desire it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, but that any desired changes and modifications may be made in the details as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a, rail joint, rail sections having their adjacent ends disposedin meeting relation at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the rail, the extreme ends of said rail sections being formed as feather edges disposed beneath the tread surface at opposite sides of the rail, laterally projecting lug portions formed on the rail webs adjacent the feather edge portions, and fish plates connecting said sections, said fish plates having laterally offset recesses engaging over said lugs.

2. In a rail joint, rail sections having their adjacent ends disposed in meeting relation at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the rail, the Webs of said sections being thickened in cross section to provide lateral extensions on opposite sides thereof beginning and terminating at the line of demarcation of the joint, the extreme ends of said rail sections terminating in the thickened lateral projections of the Webs and being formed as feather edges disposed beneath the tread surface at opposite sides of the rail, and fish plates connecting said sections, said fish plates being formed with laterally offset recesses to engage over the lateral projecting portions of said rail 'Webs on opposite sides of the joint.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM H. SMITH. 

